1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a PDA (Personal Data Assistant). More specifically, a PDA has a detachable panel is disclosed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The demands of modern society often require constant availability of electronic devices such as a PDA. As the name Personal Data Assistant implies, a PDA can provide invaluable technical benefits to a user.
In addition to technical requirements placed upon the user, modern society also encourages individuality expressed through personally selected colors and designs of nearly every object manufactured, including PDAs. Users demand a choice of colors and designs and preferably a choice that can be quickly and easily changed according to the current preference of the user.
To better accommodate demands of users for choice and fashion, PDAs with detachable decorative side panels were introduced. When the user wishes to change the color or design of his or her PDA, the user can detach the decorative side panel and replace the decorative side panel with one more in line with his or her needs at the time.
Please refer to FIG. 1 of a side view of an attachment mechanism for attaching a detachable panel 15 to a housing 32 of a PDA 10 according to prior art. The PDA of FIG. 1 was owned by the same assignee as that of the prevent invention at the time of the present invention.
The detachable panel 15 comprises a fixing hook 25 and at least one L-shaped engaging hook 20. The lower portion of the engaging hook 20 is parallel to the detachable panel 15. The fixing hook 25 is of a horizontally rectangular shape and protrudes from the same side of the detachable panel 15 as the engaging hook 20. Additionally, the fixing hook 25, if viewed from the side, has a trapezoidal shape with an increasing width toward the end of the fixing hook 25 that is away from the detachable panel 15.
The housing 32 comprises a recess 34 disposed on an exterior surface of the housing 32 and the recess 34 extends to one end of the housing 32. The recess 34 is formed in the shape and size of the detachable panel 15 and comprises at least one engaging sink 22 and a fixing sink 27.
The engaging sink 22 is a depression or hole within the recess 34 of a size and shape such that the L-shaped engaging hook 20 can fully be contained within the engaging sink 22. A portion of the recess 34 surrounding the engaging sink 22 is formed to fit between the extended lower portion of the engaging hook 20 and the detachable panel 15, holding the detachable panel 15 against a bottom of the recess 34. The fixing sink 27 is a depression or hole of a shape and size allowing entry of the fixing hook 25.
The detachable panel 15 is attached to the PDA 10 by sliding the detachable panel 15 along the recess 34 in the direction indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 1. During the sliding process, the engaging hook 20 enters the engaging sink 22 and grips a portion of the recess surface adjacent to the engaging sink 22. When the engaging hook 20 engages fully with the engaging sink 22, the flexible detachable panel 15 is deformed upward over the fixing hook 25 because the lower, protruding portion of the fixing hook 25 is not yet lined up with the fixing sink 27 and cannot enter the fixing sink 27. Therefore, the user needs to push down on a top surface of the detachable panel 15 in a direction shown by the arrow B, further deforming the detachable panel 15 until the protruding lower portion of the fixing hook 25 tilts enough to allow the fixing hook 25 to snap into the fixing sink 27. It should be noted that because the detachable panel 15 and the recess 34 both extend to the end of the housing 32, that the edges of the recess 34 are unable to prevent the detachable panel from moving laterally and the engaging hook 20 from becoming detached from the engaging sink 22. Instead, the engagement of the fixing hook 25 and the fixing sink 27 prevent the engaging hook 20 from becoming detached from the engaging sink 22.
The housing 32 of the PDA 10 also comprises an open hole 35 in the end of the housing 32 and touching the recess 34. The open hole 35 is a depression in the housing 32 provided to allow detachment of the detachable panel 15 from the PDA 10. A tip of an appropriate instrument, such as a stylus of a pen, can be inserted into the open hole 35 between the housing 32 and the detachable panel 15. By pushing the detachable panel 15 further into the recess 34 with the stylus, the flexibility of the detachable panel 15 allows the stylus to deform the detachable panel 15 enough to pull either the engaging hook 20 out of the engaging sink 22 or the fixing hook 25 out of the fixing sink 27, allowing the detachable panel 15 to be removed from the housing 32 of the PDA 10.
The prior art mechanism for attaching and detaching the detachable panel 15 to the housing 32 of the PDA 10 functions to firmly retain the detachable panel 15 in place. However, both the attachment and detachment procedures require multiple steps by the user and deformations of and possible damage to the detachable panel 15. A simpler, one step procedure to attach or detach the detachable panel 15 would reduce possible damage to the detachable panel 15, would make it more convenient for users to express their choice of colors and designs, and may reduce manufacturing costs because convenience of use may lead to increased sales.
It is therefore a primary objective of the claimed invention to solve the above-mentioned problems by introducing a simplified attachment mechanism for attaching a detachable panel to a housing of a PDA.
The claimed invention includes a housing of a PDA and a detachable panel. The PDA has a recess in the shape of the detachable panel for accommodating the detachable panel. Within the recess is an engaging sink and a dimple. The detachable panel includes an engaging hook and a locating shaft.
The detachable panel sides lengthwise into the recess. During the sliding process, the engaging hook enters and grips the engaging sink. When the engaging hook and the engaging sink are fully coupled, elasticity in the detachable panel causes the perpendicular locating shaft to enter the dimple. The dimple effectively prevents lateral movement of the detachable panel relative to the PDA and the engaging hook temporarily fixes the detachable panel to the PDA.
The PDA also has an open hole located at an end of the recess nearest the locating shaft. Insertion of a pen stylus into the open hole allows the lifting of the locating shaft out of the dimple and the detachable panel can be slid along the recess to disengage the engaging hook from the engaging sink, detaching the detachable panel from the PDA.
It is an advantage that the claimed attachment mechanism allows for quick and easy attachment and detachment of a detachable panel to and from a PDA without excess deformation and possible damage to the detachable panel. The simplified procedures improve convenience for the user and help assure detachable PDAs give the user the choice that is demanded.
These and other objectives of the claimed invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, which is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.